Agent Zero of Freelancer
by sephiroth12285
Summary: Recruited after being nearly killed as a child, having forgotten his past he is raised and trained into first of a new generation of Spartans, but what would happen if he ever regained his memories.
1. Chapter 1 Project Freelancer

A/N: Here is another fic I was working on that some friends requested that I put up, so here it is my Halo and Code Geass crossover fic. Although I did produce three chapters and one still in progress, but I had difficulties continuing trying to decide how to proceed so I am going to post this story and with the other completed chapters one at a time and see what kind of feedback and suggestions I get back.

So please enjoy and tell me what you think?

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><p>Chapter 1<p>

Project Freelancer

(November 10th 2015 A.T.B/2531 A.D)

Within the dark corridors of a hidden complex located on a world different from the one the men inhabiting it grew up in a pair of men in the company of one woman were seated in an observation room watching a very advance, but yet highly delicate augmentation procedure where a highly trained group of specialized scientist composed primary of bio-engineers and biochemist were conducting the procedure on a young fourteen year old boy who the two men held high hopes for.

One of the men a middle aged man wearing a black and gray uniform who appeared to be possible African descent with short black hair and brown eyes turned to his superior who wore an identical uniform, but he was more of Caucasian descent wearing a pair of glasses and had short brown haired that was gelled back.

"The procedure appears to be going well sir."

"So far so good at least, but we'll have to wait and see…I am confident however it will be a complete success." The glasses-wearing officer spoke with his voice carrying strong southern accent.

"Even through the technology and the methods of this procedure has greatly improved since the SPARTAN-II program I am concerned about the risks especially since we are subjecting him to gene therapy as well."

"Don't worry about it Councilor thanks to the data and research our friends in Intelligence gave us regarding the SPARTAN-II project and their procedures for enhancement we can now easily produce our own SPARTAN soldiers with little cost and with no risks involved thanks to advances and further research conducted, but for this young man and a few others will receive a far more biochemical enhancements. The successful of this project will pave the way for creating new Spartans that will be much easier to produce and from a wider gene pool if need be."

"I understand Director…the implants inserted into his brain?"

"They serve the purpose of enhancing his mental facilities as part of our ongoing research. It should enablement to interact with one or more A.I. as a fail-safe to avoid the same danger our previous test subjects endured."

"But isn't it all a little much? Can his body even handle it…you people are augmenting him more extensively than I was six years ago." A twenty year old woman wearing a black uniformed inquired obviously concerned for the boy. She had short blonde hair in a bob-cut style with green eyes and a fair skin complexion.

"You have nothing to worry about…the mental implants will protect his mind from damage."

"But what about the other augmentations and the gene therapy experiments he was being subjected to before this…I know what happens when augmentations like these fail." The woman replied.

"That is enough Chief Petty Officer Daisy-023…unlike the augmentations you and your fellow Spartans received the technology and the methods have been improved since then to such that we have completely eliminated the failure rate and replaced it with a one hundred percent success rate." The Director snapped at the Spartan soldier who had been reassigned to Project Freelancer two years ago to serve as a training instructor.

Before her so called reassignment the female Spartan super soldier had been fighting during the Harvest Campaign until an incident during a battle while attempting to help Marines to escape the planet were killed while the Spartan was badly wounded…all had died expect her, but she might have had it not been for the intervention of the agents under command from the Director who had been monitoring transmissions on the planet keeping tabs on the Spartans operating on the planet at the time waiting to potentially acquire one.

The Covenant presence was swiftly eliminated and Daisy-023 was recovered and treated for her wounds while she was officially declared Killed in Action, but as far the public would later be concerned with she was listed as Missing in Action instead.

"Anyway Chief Petty Officer you are dismissed…you may wait for the boy in his room. When they are finished they'll bring him to it."

"Yes sir…" Daisy replied before saluting before leaving the room. Once she was gone the men resumed their conversation.

"Does anyone else know about our current plans for Project Freelancer?"

"No Councilor, but those in the right positions are aware of it while others who might simply stand in our way or raise a fuss about it have been safely left in the dark."

"Like Dr. Halsey I presume…we acquired all of her research materials including designs and planned improvements to the next series of MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor as directed sir…but…"

"But what Councilor?"

"While I doubt she has caught wind of it…she has been poking her nose around."

"Do you think she suspects something?"

"No sir, but I am suggesting we need to act more cautiously when we deal with that woman and others since any outcry from her could be problematic."

"Heh…that woman can bark all she wants. Although her precious SPARTAN-II soldiers were a…limited success…we must pick up the pieces and press on and devise a creative means to end the war. Right now she wasting resources on a project that has becoming quickly outdated as their numbers dwindle." The Director snapped while his voice held clear contempt for Doctor Catherine Elizabeth Halsey.

The Councilor didn't pursue the discussion further since he knew the Director and Dr Halsey have a bitter history as rivals within the United Space Command Forces Office of Naval Intelligence with their projects the SPARTAN-II program competing with the Direction's own Project Freelancer. Although the SPARTAN-II program was selected it didn't mean the end of Project Freelancer like some had been led to believe.

But little did the Councilor realize…there was a more personal vendetta between them.

"Besides we hardly need the research data on the new armor…our research department tells me that reserve engineering of the suits we discovered is coming along well. The field testing of the prototype conducted last year by Agent Maine is completed…with the testing data we'll be able to produce a new and vastly superior combat armor and armor enhancements thanks to the ancient technology we discovered."

"But we'll need to be cautious just the same."

"I agree if we are too hastily we could slip up and our plans will be known…I don't want any interference from any damn bureaucrats or semimetal morons in the military."

Director Leonard Church turned his attention back to the operation happening in the sealed room beyond as work was nearing completion. He recalled when scouts first came to the world they discovered by traveling through the massive Forerunner artifact they had discovered ten years ago. He had personally supervised one of the reconnaissance teams to the planet bearing the same name of his own home world.

It was September 2nd 2010 A.T.B/2527 A.D; the skies had an appropriate color of a seemingly golden red to illustrate the day of the country's fall. On August 10th a war began between the planet's strongest nation the Holy Britannian Empire and the small country of Japan. The war lasted a mere month due to two factors that sealed the small country's fate before the war even began…one was that Britannia had far more access to material and had more men they could commit to invade the small nation and second they deployed their new land base weapon the Knightmare Frame which radically shortened the ground battle after Britannian dominated Japan in every sea and aerial engagement save for one major local victory they managed to win.

But it wasn't enough to starve off the inevitable.

He and two squads of UNSC Special Ops accompanying him were exploring the outskirts of a small town deciding to use it as an opportunity to potentially find recruits among recently orphaned children for the Director's project since Japan's current condition as a newly conquered nation made conditions ideal for finding potential recruits. As they were searching an abandoned home outside of Onjuku a gunshot nearby alerted them, so the men investigated.

However a short firefight broke out not too long afterwards, but after it was over the Director and his men made his way over where they found four men in business suits dead and a young boy bleeding from a gunshot wound while nearby was an little girl who wasn't moving. Standing over the boy was one of their agents…Agent Marine.

Not wishing to stay around in the event anyone else came running they took the wounded boy since he was still alive leaving the girl who appeared to be dead.

After bringing him back to the ship the medics managed to save the child's life while at the same time conduct a number of tests on him as he recovered from the bullet wound he endured. The child would recover, but due to blood loss he might suffer some memory loss. Either way it didn't matter to the Director…upon examining the child's DNA he was almost perfect genetically.

It was peculiar, but his genetics was beautiful making him not just an ideal SPARTAN candidate, but a perfect one. The boy didn't appear to have a lot of muscle on him, but it didn't matter since they could easily correct that over time…the child was a golden egg found within a ruined land.

"It's fortunate for us that his memory was…scattered, but we'll attain perfection." The Director said while he left out the part that ever since they had acquired Lelouch he had been subjected to numerous gene therapy experiments that left his mind scrambled further leaving large holes in his memories.

"Yes sir…"

Suddenly a beep at the door behind them alerted them that someone outside was requesting entry.

"What is it?"

"Director…we brought the man you wanted."

"Excellent bring him on in." The Director replied as the door opened as a pair of soldiers in black and gray armor holding assault rifles escorted a man dressed in a simple olive green military uniform with brown hair and hazel eyes. "Welcome to our research facility Kurt-051…I am Director Leonard Church…I want to apologize for the way we…acquired you."

"Kidnapped me is more of the proper word sir."

"It was necessary…Project Freelancer is currently a black project and we conduct special black ops for the ONI and conduct very sensitive research that we must keep quiet…you are about to help us with that research."

"No disrespect sir, but I don't understand how a SPARTAN can be help to you…I am not a scientist."

"Actually your skills as a SPARTAN is exactly what I need especially given your combat experience and your ability to work well with people from what I have heard." The Director replied as he gesture for the super soldier to look inside the operation room where Kurt saw the fourteen year old child being augmented.

"Who is that?"

"His name is Lelouch…it was most of what he could remember when we found him, but like you and your fellow soldiers of the SPARTAN program he is genetically perfect for the new program. However we need someone capable of training him and future operatives. We acquired the services of an old acquaintance of yours… Senior Chief Petty Officer Franklin Mendez, but we could use the experience of a soldier such as yourself to help better refine the recruits more if you catch my drift."

"A new generation of Spartans…is Dr. Halsey involved then?"

"No she is not…in fact she is completely unaware of all this for a large number of reasons I will reveal to you in due time."

"And the kid inside?"

"He's very special…our golden child if you will...Mendez has been training him for the past few months with help from another you are familiar with, but I'll confess his weak body he had at the time we recruited him made his training rather troublesome for our previous trainers. However between then and today we prepared his body using biochemical enhancements and gene therapy secessions to strengthen his body as to enable him to succeed at the training regime he has been receiving, but it also prepared him for today's augmentation."

"Anything else I should know about?"

"Other than you will help us prepare a new generation of Spartan soldiers…think about it. Think about the help it could mean for your fellow Spartans currently out in the field if they had more that could assist them in battle against the Covenant."

"To convert more children into soldiers like us…"

"Kurt-051 allow me to point out a very important fact...the Covenant is seeking to exterminate our entire race. I feel I must remind you that it is undeniable, and may I say a fundamental quality of man, that when faced with extinction, **every** alternative is preferable!" The Director snapped as Kurt wasn't sure how to respond to it.

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><p>Later that day the young man the so-called golden child awoke lying in a bed in a white room. Having endured unbearable pain and agony from the augmentation process, but unlike some of his predecessor the Spartan-II recruits he survived it.<p>

"I suggest you try not to move around too much right now…your body needs time to recover from the process." Daisy-023 said from his bedside. Turning his head the young fifteen year old boy saw the twenty year old female Spartan sitting there in a chair next to his bed reading a training manual for Freelancer Agents to pass the time until the he had awoken.

"Chief Petty Officer?"

"At ease Lelouch…no need for formalities. You can just relax…you have been through one hell of an ordeal already today."

"It…hurt a lot."

"I am not surprised…I speak from personal experience on that account, but even though they increased the chances of survival to one hundred percent they still can't seem to make the process any less painful. But given the additional gene therapy they applied during the process I can only imagine it must have hurt a lot more didn't it?"

"Yeah…I think so, but I don't know how to really compare it."

"You don't have to."

"Alright, but is there anything else going on I should know about?"

"Well good news is that they have another Spartan onboard the project now to help train you as well as our original combat trainer."

"What's the bad news?"

"…none…that I know of at least."

"That's weird…when you usually have good news there is usually bad news to go along with it."

"That may be true, but I don't have any I can offer you…except for maybe really good news."

"Ok then what's the really good news?"

"You'll be in that bed for at least a week…Director's orders until your body has had a chance to recover from the procedures."

"That sounds boring…heh…" Lelouch replied with a light chuckle.

"Oh I suggest you enjoy your bed rest; Kurt-052 and Senior Chief Petty Officer Franklin Mendez your new trainers…while better than Agent Maine they aren't going to be very light on you so I really suggest you enjoy your short vacation while you can."

Daisy-023 replied with a matter of fact tone in her voice while she knew Lelouch would benefit from training from those two while not suffering from abuse from Agent Maine, and the fact he nearly hospitalized him a dozen times when he went too far training him. Hence why it was one of the reasons Daisy-023 was _acquired_ to take over.

Now that there were plans to begin training more agents including a new generation of Spartan soldiers it became necessary to acquire additional trainers. Not to mention broaden the training scope of Lelouch's own training since he was in a sense the prototype for the new Spartan soldiers. Now that his augmentation was successful they were going to begin putting the other recruits and candidates through the refined process.

Daisy had been training some of the other recruits for the new generation Spartans Freelancer was planning to produce and she had trained some fine candidates. However Agent Maine known for his tremendously brutal and abusive, but yet oddly highly effective training methods was successful in training a few exceptionally skilled recruits while others were either crippled or killed. In light of this any hard cases or insubordinate recruits who didn't respond well to training were given to him. The female Spartan took advantage of this by using it as a means of both motivating them and potentially saving them from death at Agent Maine's training methods.

Yet of all of the recruits Daisy has been training since she took over Lelouch was her best by far and was somewhat famous among the other recruits for being a survivor of Agent Maine's training.

"You're always looking out for me aren't you?"

"As your instructor and mentor it's my job, but that doesn't mean I don't think any less of you. Regardless if I am your instructor or not I'll look out for you…we're from different programs, but you're a Spartan now…so that means we're true comrades now."

"What's wrong with friends?" Lelouch said at an attempt of humor.

Daisy laughed briefly at that one before she replied.

"Alright friends too, and no there is nothing wrong with that."

Suddenly the door opened and another man walked a man around Daisy's age with short brown hair in a buzz cut style wearing a simple olive green uniform.

"I heard the operation was a success…how are you feeling kid?"

"Hey Wash…how did the new armor testing rounds go?"

David-142 otherwise known by his designation Agent Washington was a special Spartan II operative within Freelancer, but unlike Daisy and Kurt he is a Project Freelancer original Spartan recruited from the other seventy five possible candidates of the original one hundred and fifty child candidates before it was cut down due to budget issues. However the truth was that this was to provide the Director with child candidates so they could conduct their own experiments using same augmentation methods used in the Spartan II program, but their training methods differed…not to mention some were utilized in other experiments within the project as well.

The Spartans of Project Freelancer while trained using more brutal and life threatening methods there were fewer survivors from when Freelancer's Spartans underwent augmentation. Not counting the ones killed in earlier experiments and training exercises, but by time they augmentations only seven were left with ten either killed or severely crippled by the process.

Although a benefit of this extreme and brutal training and development program was that the Spartans of Freelancer had a higher survival rate in battle against the Covenant and so far none have been killed in action. But due to the ongoing war with the Covenant more Spartans would be needed and given how capable the Spartans they had been able to produce despite losing a lot of them in training and during the augmentations while others during experiments conducted by Freelancer.

Lelouch-000 was the first among a new generation of Spartans meant to surpass the previous generation and his story was just beginning.

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><p>But as Lelouch was recover the Director of Project Freelancer was making his way down a long corridor followed by the Councilor before stopping at a sealed heavy armored door.<p>

"The boy has awakened sir."

"Very good Councilor…I knew the child would survive, now if you excuse me I need to conduct some private research and include the data collected from our boy's augmentation procedure."

"Yes sir…" Councilor replied standing back as he watched his superior enter the sealed chamber beyond after going through a very strict procedure of using his retina and fingerprint as well as a voice-coded password to gain entry. In the room beyond the Director descended down an elevator to a hidden research chamber and laboratory where the interior had recently been upgraded using advance technologies collected by Project Freelancer, but the Director knew this chapter's primary occupant was responsible for renovating the hidden lab.

Upon entering a large chamber at the bottom of the elevator the Director spoke as he entered the renovated lab which all of the equipment including the walls and lighting itself had been replaced with much more advance components and equipment obviously alien in origin.

"I see someone has been quite the busy bee."

"The equipment you had in this chamber was quite primitive and woefully inadequate for my needs." A friendly sounding digital voice spoke as the Director looked up to see a roughly spherical shape, concave on three sides larger than a human head with an illuminated photoreceptor located on the front of the floating sphere.

"I see…" The Director said regarding the Forerunner Monitor while taking notice of how much Forerunner in design and appearance his private research lab had taken on since his last visit which had been almost two weeks ago. "Your creators were truly an impressive species."

"Well thank you Reclaimer."

"Here is the data from Lelouch-000 Augmentation everything went perfectly thanks to your assistance in refining the process."

"Yes I observed the process as well, but thank you for the data this will help my research and yours quite well." The monitor replied as he took the computer disc containing the medical data on the process.

As the Forerunner AI began extracting the data from the disc the Director made his way over to what was perhaps the one thing untouched by the Monitor when it upgraded the entire chamber and lab likely using the other Forerunner Relics and artifacts that had been stored within this chamber. Against the wall on the far side of the room laid a cryo-tube containing what appeared to be a fourteen year old girl being kept in cold storage.

"How much further until…" Director Church spoke regarding the girl contained inside the tube.

"All of my preparations are nearly complete…I still require a few items required for the procedure, but I must remind you her mind has been severely damaged so even if I am successful her recovery will take time."

"…I know, but you have my authorization to do what you must to ensure she'll recover and be properly restored."

"I shall do my upmost to assist you Reclaimer."

"Good…Project Freelancer is entering its next stage."

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><p>AN: Well the first of three chapters I have produced so far of my Halo and Code Geass crossover with characters from Red vs. Blue making appearances, but their back stories and such have been modified to fit with the Halo canon as best as possible while trying to cope with the other changes Lelouch's appearance in the war as a SPARTAN of Project Freelancer will have, but he will eventually return to his own world after the war. Yet I am concerned about some bits, but I will post the other chapters one at a time and collect feedback on what I should probably consider and if there are any mistakes I might have made to and correct if need be.


	2. Chapter 2 Agent Zero

A/N: Ok so reviews so far sound good and I know some who have known about this fic has been waiting for it, but from here on out this is where I get kinda nervous since this is my first Halo-crossover so please forgive any mistakes…it's a learning experience which I hope I can use to make better chapters later. So without further delay we bring you Lelouch on his first mission with a familiar Freelancer.

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><p>Chapter 2<p>

Agent Zero

September 20th 2542: UNSC colony world Emerald Cove.

The sun had set while below a hidden research base located seven miles outside of Holetown in the region of New Barbados…a long figure was moving through the main sewage pipes attempting to infiltrate the structure above him. Unknown to most the Office of Naval Intelligence had a research facility dedicated to the study of alien artifacts and technology, more specifically Forerunner, but with the ongoing war Covenant technology had been finding its way to the facility to be studied while engineers and scientists attempt to reverse engineer it.

But to recent activity in neighboring colonies by the Covenant the world had been abandoned since it had no military importance to the UNSC and thus wasn't worth maintaining a military presence, however the ONI research base needed to be destroyed and was thus scheduled to self-destruct.

However something went wrong.

As the last ships were leaving the planet all contact from the ONI research base dubbed Avalon Base was lost and the base thus far was still intact. In response the Office of Naval Intelligence ordered an agent from Project Freelancer to go in and investigate as well as ensure the complete destruction of the base and the recovery of a special artifact within the base.

The Director responded by dispatching one of their best on what would be his first official mission while he would personally oversee the mission from orbit aboard Freelancer's mobile command base a modified Paris-class heavy frigate named the Mother of Invention equipped with prototype stealth capabilities making it ideal for use in black operations.

On the uppermost section of the ship was the bridge where standing at the edge of the observation deck while crews maintained the ship's position in orbit around the planet Director Church stood looking down at the planet while he punched in codes on a small control console in front of him on the railing bar before the window to open a secure line with his agent on the ground.

"Agent Zero this is Command…please respond."

"This is Agent Zero I read you loud and clear Command."

"What is your current status?"

"I am currently moving through the sewers below the base…on schedule, but our initial suspicions have been confirmed."

"I see, so the Covenant are on the planet."

"Yes sir and judging from what I am finding so far they are in control of the base…its likely they are part of some kind of scouting force that must have infiltrated the planet possibility in search of the facility. They may have already alerted their superiors to the base existence, but judging from the light damage outside and the signs of battle in here I think they decided to be a little ambitious and seize the base to prevent its destruction. Now the enemy is most likely trying to acquire what's contained inside while waiting for pick up."

"That confirms what we have noticed up here as well…long range scans as well as a report from a small fleet engaging in a battle in a nearby system that a Covenant Fleet is on the way."

"ETA?"

"We estimate at least two hours."

"I'll double time it sir."

"Please see that you do…this ship may have been built for stealth operations, but it can't weather an enemy fleet, so you have one hour to complete your mission."

"I understand sir, Agent Zero out."

Inside the sewer Lelouch-000 dubbed as Freelancer Agent Zero moved silently through the wide tunnel he was in as water rushed pass his ankles. The twenty five year old boy was currently wearing a prototype MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor a custom R variant possessing newly devised shielding technology and an experimental active cloaking device for stealth.

The armor was primary black with some gold outlines in the detail while on his left forearm was a TACPAD.

"One hour…seems like a lot of time." A second, albeit a more digital, voice commented.

"Not really." Lelouch replied.

"What do you mean…the fleet could show up sooner?"

"That and there is the possibility the enemy might have some surprises in store…if they came to this planet for this base then we can expect some Zealot class Elites."

"All things considered I can say that's a good bet, so what's the plan?"

"Well…hey Maine what do you see?"

"The Covenant seems to have two to three squads gathered in the main motor pool inside the base's perimeter."

Agent Maine replied while lurking in a hidden vantage point just outside of the base wearing his own unique prototype set of MJOLNIR armor, but his was a V variant of the armor with a unique helmet that had a large sphere-like visor. The colors of his armor was almost all white save for the gold visor and some brown on the shoulders and the black under suit he wore underneath the black plates of armor.

"Do you think you can distract them?"

"Do you need to ask?"

"Nope I guess not."

"Ok that's just cruel…" The electronic voice inside Lelouch's helmet spoke.

"What…are you worried Maine will get killed?"

"NO idiot…I mean it's cruel of you sending Maine to attack those guys. He'll mop the floors with them."

"That's the whole idea Alpha."

"Right…those poor bastards." Alpha replied half-jokingly and sarcastically.

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><p>As Lelouch-000 with the Alpha A.I. aiding him began to infiltrate the fifty story-tall research lab and military command center building Agent Maine went to work to draw the enemy's attention. After sneaking inside the courtyard of the base near the motor pool he was stopped when he heard an Unggoy holding a plasma pistol asked in a meek voice.<p>

"Hold it…"

Maine turned his head seeing the trembling Grunt holding the small weapon to his face, but without a moment's hesitation he growled before swatting the pistol from the alien's small hands before seizing him by the neck.

Seconds later a group of three Sangheili elites were standing by a ruined Jeep checking in with one another after conducting a routine patrol around the motor pool while also checking on the other members of their party guarding the base as they awaited the rest of their fleet to arrive. After their journey to this planet and its research facility was one-way due to their method of travel using disguised drop ships camouflaged as asteroids so they could avoid detection.

Although their original purpose was to verify the presence of Forerunner artifacts on the planet, but with the humans abandoning the world they acted to secure the building to ensure anything of value could not be destroyed knowing they would likely destroy it. Now all they have to do is hold the facility until the recovery fleet comes for them.

But the Covenant was about to find holding the ONI research facility and base would be more troublesome then they could have imagined.

A terrified Grunt flew through the air and landed in between the three Elites who looked down at the stupid creature, but they soon saw that four plasma grenades had been stuck to the chest of the small alien and were about to detonate.

The resulting explosion knocked the Elites off their feet stunning them while severely wounding one of them.

And then it began as Maine emerged from his hiding place throwing a grenade at a group of four Grunts before opening fire upon the downed Elites using his Battle Rifle aiming for the heads with precision shots, but using one of the two plasma grenades he took from the Grunt he seized he slapped one onto the groin area of one of the Elites that had been recovering faster than the others knocked off.

Two died from head shots while the last one had his lower torso blown apart.

The base now alerted to the intruder began scrambling to deal with the threat as the Freelancer pressed his attack switching to an MA5B Assault Rifle, equipped with a M301 40mm Grenade Launcher replacing the flashlight attachment, to mow down a pair of fleeing Grunts before four Jiralhanae Majors were rushing towards him. One of the large bulky aliens armed with a Type-25 Grenade Launcher, otherwise called a Brute Shot, fired a round at the white armored Spartan.

However Maine replied by kicking one of the dead Grunts he had killed into the path of the incoming grenade coming at him. The Freelancer countered by throwing its second Plasma Grenade tagging it onto the Brute's head before it exploded. The remaining Brutes unfazed by the death of their comrade in fact became determined to avenge their comrade instead.

The remaining Brutes armed with Type-25 Carbine, Spikier Rifles, opened fire on the Freelancer as Maine ducked behind a Forklift, but not before tossing a grenade at the trio. But as the Jiralhanae Majors dived to the sides to evade the Freelancer fired a grenade from his rifle mounted launcher striking one in the head before emerging after the grenade he had tossed earlier exploded.

As they were momentary dazed from the explosion Maine moved in and unloaded the rifle's entire clip into them downing two of them before throwing his rifle aside to draw his combat knife and drive it into the exposed head of the last Brute after his grenade had knocked the alien's helmet off. More Grunts and several Elites were coming to engage the lone Spartan, but in response the Freelancer picked up the Brute Shot and began using it against the oncoming aliens.

* * *

><p>Inside the building as Lelouch was ascending the stairs making his way towards the main research labs, but even where he was the Spartan could hear the sounds of explosions from the Freelancer's attack obviously doing a very good job at distracting the enemy.<p>

"Damn Maine…what enemies will remain for us if he keeps butchering them?" Alpha commented.

But just as he spoke, Lelouch suddenly took out a knife and trusted it to his left, to where only air was. However the combat knife rather than passing met resistance and sunk into something followed by what seemed to be blood oozing out. This something dissolved, as a cloaking crumbled and revealed a Stealth Minor, his body crumbling to the ground as the knife of the Freelancer had sunk into his head to the hilt. As Lelouch pulled his knife out, he couldn't help but mutter.

"…I guess that I'll have the deal with the competent ones. Let's do this…"

Eventually arriving on the 41st floor of the building the Freelancer reached the a hidden entrance into the research lab which was directly below them inside the Men's restroom while below outside metal vault-like doors leading into the research lab. Where an Elite Zealot-class overseeing a group of Grunts using tools as they were obliviously trying to force their way into the research lab, but so far they have met with limited success.

But the doors weren't going to hold for much longer as they had succeeded in cutting their way through the eight of the nine armored doors protecting the research lab and other classified materials.

"Alright Alpha get me inside."

Lelouch said as the AI within his helmet began unlocking the hidden entrance which was originally met as an escape route for researchers and importance officers, but likely due to the sudden attack since they were in the middle of abandoning it to self-destruct it no one would really use it.

"Bingo, open says-a-me."

The floor titles descended a few inches before sliding to the side revealing the hidden escape door for the lab below. After the hatch was open the Spartan Freelancer entered and found the lab to be untouched save for some papers knocked to the ground clear signs that the original researchers were rushing to gather important research papers and belongings during the evacuation.

Yet while they took just about everything else that seemed important they left behind a valuable Forerunner Relic which Lelouch discovered hidden behind a sealed glass chamber…the item in question was a large cube-shaped device of some kind with glowing rune like patterns possessing the Forerunner Emblem on the sides.

"Ok give me a few minutes and I'll open that for you."

"No time…" Lelouch replied drawing his M90 shotgun and using two well placed shots to blast his way through the thick glass.

"Ok then…" Alpha replied, but didn't overly object as Lelouch claimed the relic putting it inside the combat container he had on his back. Not before removing the one of the time items he was carrying and that was a Semtex Bomb with enough C-12 explosives to destroy the entire floor. Before he went to set the charge he removed Alpha from his helmet and inserted him into a database terminal inside the sealed room.

Once Lelouch finished arming the bomb and setting the timer he spoke to his digital companion.

"Alpha have you already finished cleaning out the lab database?"

"Just finished and I have also taking the liberty of wiping out the entire base's database of all data, just in case."

"Alright…let's get out of here."

Lelouch replied as he retrieved Alpha before the duo escaped through the hidden escape route. Moments later the ninth armored door finally gave way as the Grunts rushed into the lab with the Zealot Elite following right behind them. As it approached the broken opening in the containment glass the Zealot noticed the bomb on the ground two seconds before it detonated.

* * *

><p>The explosion shook the entire building devastating the entire floor causing the windows to shatter. Below Agent Maine, surrounded by two dozen dead aliens, killed another Elite with a point blank shot to the face with the Brute Shot before spiting open a Brute's head from the chin up with the blade on his new weapon as it was about to strike him with a Gravity Hammer.<p>

Seeing a Minor Elite aiming a Fuel Rod Launcher at him the Freelancer kicked a dead Grunt he had killed earlier into the path of the oncoming round taking the shot meant for him. Holstering his new weapon and picking up a Shotgun he had claimed from the body of a dead Marine he had come across he proceeded to rush towards the building blasting his way through six Grunts.

The Elite armored with the Fuel Rod Gun tried to attack again, but Maine was on him punching him in the face before shoving the shotgun into the creature's mouth and pulling the trigger ending the alien's life. A seventh Grunt was running up to him on a suicide run holding two live Plasma Grenades, but the Freelancer Agent replied by using its now depleted shotgun as a golf-club hitting the Grunt hard enough to send it flying clear across the yard where its grenades detonated a safe distance away.

Entering the building the Freelancer began searching for a quick way to reach the roof.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile around the same time Lelouch arrived on the top floor of the fifty story tall building giving the black armored Spartan an excellent view of the surrounding area including the base around the foundation of the building he was standing atop of. The Spartan was busy activating the second item he had brought with him for the mission…a portable transmitter.<p>

After a flick of the switch the device began beeping.

"Alright, we are done...where is our ride?" Alpha commented, but Lelouch readied his weapon as he turned to the door he had just come out from not too long ago hearing the sounds of rushing feet.

"We might have a slight delay."

Plumping back on his shotgun Lelouch blasted a Grunt that had emerged from the stairwell sending the alien to meet its maker, but knowing there were likely more behind him the Spartan hurled a grenade into the open door bouncing it off the door frame. The grenade went off just as two more Grunts came up, but after quickly making short work of small aliens Lelouch realized something was wrong.

Feeling something behind him he turned around in a snap firing off another shotgun round where the shot impacted something that was invisible behind him as an invisible Zealot Elite dropped to his feet after taking a shotgun blast to the face at point blank range to the face. At that moment four more Zealots deactivated their camouflage before moving to engage lone Spartan.

Drawing energy swords the three Elites rushed at the Spartan while Lelouch discarded his shotgun taking the energy sword of the Zealot he had killed moments ago to engage in melee combat with his foes as he ducked to avoid one swipe of his enemy's blade before cleaving the Zealot in half through the mid-section and parrying a blow from the second.

The third Zealot moved in to support his comrade, but Lelouch dropped a grenade before backing away from the second Zealot to give himself some space and to get clear of the grenade he had dropped. The grenade detonated stunning the second Zealot slightly while the third backed away to escape the explosive fragmentation grenade, but Lelouch seized the opportunity and ran his blade through the second Zealot killing him before the third could stop him with the two engaging in a fierce energy sword duel.

* * *

><p>Around the same time inside the elevator shaft Maine was standing atop of an elevator car looking for a quicker means to reach the top of the building to rejoin his fellow Freelancer agent for EVAC. He had an idea, but anyone who might have been watching might have dubbed him insane, but for the Freelancer it was rather typical of him.<p>

Using a small M6 sidearm he taken from the body of a fallen Marine he had found near the elevator he proceeded to shoot the cables of the elevator, but upon pulling the trigger of the last one he dropped the weapon and grabbed the Fuel Rod Gun by the barrel before he was yanked up the shaft at increasing speed heading for the top.

* * *

><p>Back on the roof Lelouch grabbed the second energy sword as he fought the Zealot who was proven to be extremely skilled and a capable fighter. He had been fighting the towering alien for a good two minutes parrying the Sangheili's attacks while his alien foe did the same. Finally after catching his foe's blade with his Lelouch made an opening by kicking the creature in the stomach and running the blade through killing the Zealot.<p>

But it wasn't over as two more Zealots arrived on the roof one of them armed with a Fuel Rod Gun while the other was carrying a Type-51 Directed Energy Rifle. Lelouch was without a ranged weapon at the moment, but two quick explosions seized their attention as all eyes looked to the machine house where the components for the elevator system was located as a large explosion tore open a large hole in the wall and the ceiling.

Suddenly three green globs-like shells flew out from the hole at the two Zealots as the green globs hit the ground by their feet with the resulting explosions killing the Zealots. Maine walked out onto the roof to casually join his fellow Freelancer after throwing the depleted the gun to the side.

"Your timing was surprisingly perfect." Lelouch commented as Maine merely shrugged his shoulders.

"Transmitter is running…I say we got less than a minute now." Alpha warned.

"That's fine our ride should be here."

Suddenly an unexpected surprise came when four more Zealots followed by one Zealot who was obviously the leader possibly a Field Marshall made his way onto the roof escorted by two Elite Minors, but one thing they all had in common was that they were all armed to the teeth with Plasma Repeaters, some of them were even dual-wielding a pair.

"I guess you missed a few." Lelouch commented jokingly.

"Shut up."

Likely the explosions drew them up here although it was surprising they weren't drawn to the battle Maine had started in the motor pool on the ground floor.

_Unless they were either occupied with something else like searching the base for anything else of value or something else was happening._

If anything Lelouch knew besides the computers in the research lab all of the other computers and databanks within the building had been wiped out…at least before the Covenant struck before they could destroy the research lab and move out the relic or they had managed to wipe the computers before the Covenant seized complete control of the building.

Either way their situation wasn't good, but it didn't matter.

Nodding to Maine…the two Freelancers turned and ran for the edge of the building before jumping off the edge leaving the Covenant aliens wondering what had just happened…did their foes commit suicide to avoid capture and interrogation. But moments later the roar of a black D77-TC Pelican dropship soon followed by seeing the craft quickly speeding away from the base where at that moment a series of laser designators shot down from the sky around the entire base slowly closing in on the building…the Elite uncertain of what it was stood ready for anything, but up in orbit…nothing could prepare them for what was about to happen.

* * *

><p>High above them the Mother of Invention was positioning itself as the targeting lasers for its shipboard Magnetic Accelerator Cannon with the transmitter planted by Lelouch upon the roof of the building provided a target point for the ship's targeting computers to lock onto.<p>

"System ready…acquiring target." A female computerized voice spoke as Director Church stood on the bridge looking down at the planet waiting for target acquisition.

At the same time on the planet below the lasers came together locking onto the transmitter Lelouch left as the Field Marshall approached the small device while back in space.

"Target locked…"

"Fire!"

"Firing main cannon." The computer replied before a MAC round was fired from the ship where seconds later on the planet below the Field Marshall looked up seeing the round coming at them fast from orbit about to hit in less than a second.

* * *

><p>"Yark…"<p>

After those final words the MAC round hit its mark vaporizing the Field Marshall instantly and wiping out the remaining Covenant around him while the round completely pierced the entire building shattering all of the windows completely devastating the interior while an explosion erupted from its base destroying most of the area around it.

Seconds later the entire building collapsed.

Aboard the Pelican as it made for orbit to rendezvous with the Mother of Invention Lelouch and Maine sat in the back of the dropship relaxing after successfully completing their mission, but as the ship climbed higher the black armored Spartan removed his helmet allowing his black silky hair out into the open air before leaving his helmet on his lap.

"All that racket you caused and those guys didn't come down?"

"So sue me…we got the job done." Maine shot back.

"I suppose we did. We have the relic and Alpha downloaded all of the relevant research data."

Aboard the Mother of Invention as the ship awaited the dropship before it would depart the system while they still had a good deal of time left over before the Covenant would arrive in mass. Director Church was pleased with another successful mission under the organization's belt and now it would secure more additional funding for the SPARTAN-III program.

Following the success of their agents in the field Project Freelancer was officially reorganized into the SPARTAN-III program with Director Church in charge of its operation in 2531 with Lelouch becoming the first of a new generation model of Spartan with an improved and superior form of augmentation developed by the Director himself and new technologies developed as well as a result of research and experiments carried out by Project Freelancer.

Director Leonard Church's proposal for his own re-envisioned Spartan Program overshadowed Colonel James Ackerson own proposed version of a Spartan program that would be focused on trading lives for time, but the proposal the Director presented was much more efficient and in the long run far more effective especially giving the growing war with the Covenant and the breakthroughs made by Project Freelancer.

Lelouch-000 was the first of many new Spartan third generation super soldiers, each them likely to soon undergo a more mainstream version of the Augmentation Process used on him which was not only painless and a survival rate raised to one hundred percent, but any negative side effects were greatly reduced.

Now Senior Chief Petty Officer Mendez and Kurt-051 and others including Daisy-023 was now training the new generation SPARTAN-III super soldiers. All in all it has been a good couple of years for the Director, but he wished he could say the same for the rest of humanity in their war with the Covenant.

'_But soon we'll change all of that…we'll turn the tide of this war soon.'_

In the Mother of Invention's docking bay the Pelican Dropship landed followed by the boarding ramp being lowered to allow its passengers to disembark the craft as Agent Maine and Agent Zero began making their way to the bridge. Soon the new men arrived and upon meeting the Director the two Spartans salute their superior.

Director returned the salute before addressing them. "Well done gentlemen I am pleased with your accomplishment."

"Thank you sir." The two Agents replied.

"The relic if you would please Agent Zero." The Director requested as Lelouch handed the relic to the Director who took it before placing it on the navigation table next to him. "You two have done well…go and get some rest we'll be leaving the system and begin our return home…dismissed."

"Sir!" The two Spartans saluted before proceeding to leave the bridge, but the Director stopped Lelouch.

"Lelouch a word through…"

Maine nodded to the young Spartan before leaving the bridge as the black armored super soldier approached the

"First off I wish to inform you with advances in research we should be able to complete the ship on schedule within two years."

"Then you it will be completed?"

"Yes…if things go well, the Flying Dutchman will be ready soon…I have been reviewing your suggestions for a captain alongside with the list I have produced, but I wish to inquire about one of the candidates you have selected."

"I told you he wasn't going to go for it." Alpha commented, but Lelouch ignored it.

"With all due respect sir, of all the candidates, she's the most ideal one. Even if she's rather young for the position, she has proven herself daring enough to do what's required to preserve this ship and the lives aboard. I expect the usual idiots to raise a stink because of her being chosen for this."

"We'll see, but we'll make our selection upon the ship's completion…I believe she is still in the academy? The obvious lack of combat experience concerns me."

"She is sir and I understand your concerns, but so far…in her first year alone…her scores in exams and in simulator rounds including how she conducts herself in live-field command tests trips…I think she'll make an ideal choice."

"We'll see…if this choice of yours proves exceptional I'll reconsider, but the ship itself is a long way off from being completed in any event so I'll keep it under advisement."

"I still say you picked her because she has a pretty face." Alpha joked while Lelouch wanted to shut the AI up, but he restrained himself in front of his superior.

"I understand sir…"

"Very good son…you are dismissed." The Director replied before Lelouch left the bridge as the older man turned to the relic on the table next to him.

"Another step closer to it…just wait a bit more, Kat." The Director mused to himself quietly as he held the relic in his hands.

* * *

><p>AN: Ok Lelouch and Agent Maine working together, dear god there wasn't anyone left especially with Agent Zero and the famed 'Halsey's Monster' teaming up for the mission acquiring his signature weapon. For Maine and the moniker given to him will be elaborated upon in a later chapter with a back-story I strived to perfect as best as I could to reflect him in a dark light. I hope things with this chapter were acceptable, but hey any suggestions or ideas to improve the story let me know and review please. I'll post the third chapter soon.


	3. Chapter 3 The Spartans of Freelancer

A/N: Well here is the chapter, but I was hesitant to post this one…but I'll post it and see what happens.

* * *

><p>Chapter 3<p>

The Spartans of Freelancer

(2544)

In space near the planet of Miridem where not too long ago a vicious engagement between the UNSC and the Covenant took place with United Nations Space Command suffering heavy losses, but the worse of it was the enemy had managed to capture someone of high importance to the UNSC so now the Spartans of Freelancer was being called upon for a extremely important mission.

Aboard the Mother of Invention the ship was lurking ahead of an amassed fleet of Covenant Ships coming in their direction hanging outside of a stellar magnetic field, since it would destabilize its cloaking, while inside the hanger Freelancers Agents Zero and Maine were boarding a special made experimental boarding craft made for the purpose of boarding Covenant warships. Accompanying them was another Spartan from the original Freelancer Spartans Agent Wyoming otherwise known by his name and Spartan Tag Reginald-110 and Agent Virginia which was Daisy-023's agent call sign would also be taking part.

Four Freelancers gathered for one mission, rescue Doctor Catherine Halsey from the Covenant, but if the worse were to happen then they had orders to kill her to prevent her from falling into enemy hands.

As the four Freelancers boarded the missile which was going to be their primary method of boarding the Director's mission briefing echoed through Lelouch's mind.

* * *

><p>"<em>Agents this will be your most important mission to date…we have just received word that Doctor Catherine Halsey the brainchild behind the Spartan-II program has been captured by the Covenant during the Battle of Miridem."<em>

_Daisy was shocked while Kane didn't flinch since they had been originally associated with Halsey in past since they had come from the original Spartan-II program. _

"_Fortunately for us the enemy is unable to leave the system due to a stellar magnetic field preventing them from entering slipspace; this gives us the opportunity to conduct a rescue operation. Given the importance of this mission we'll be deploying four of our agents led by Lelouch while the rest of the team will consist of Daisy, Reginald and Kane."_

"_What's our time frame?" Agent Wyoming asked with a British accent. _

"_You'll have ten minutes to secure Doctor Halsey and escape."_

"_Will there will be any other teams involved?" _

"_There is an ONI rescue op being conducted by members of the Spartan-II program aboard the Office of Naval Intelligence stealth ship the PRO-49776, but we have been instructed by the higher ups to also conduct our own rescue operation to ensure a higher chance of success since there is a possibility that the enemy may be aware of the value of their captive given that the bodies of those aboard her ship were found." The Director explained which led Daisy to realize. _

"_Then the Spartans could be walking into a trap?"_

"_It's possible, but we cannot confirm…however if it is a trap then we're here to pick up where they left off." _

"_I see…" Daisy replied. _

"_We'll invade the ship, wipe out enemy resistance and then fight our way to the Doctor's location…we'll attack the flagship."_

"_The flagship?" Wyoming inquired. _

"_If the Covenant has indeed realized her importance as the Director suspects then she'll likely be held aboard the flagship. Once we're aboard we'll break up into two groups, one group will secure the doctor the other team will secure transport to escape the ship." Lelouch replied while lying out a mission plan._

"_Prepare to depart the mission begins in ten minutes…dismissed." The Director ordered while he approved the mission plan. _

"_SIR!" The Spartans replied while saluting their superior. _

* * *

><p>For their mission Agent Maine was brining his personal favorite weapon with him the Brute Shot while carrying a M7Caseless Submachine Gun as a sidearm. Agent Wyoming along with Agent Zero and Virginia were carrying MA5C Assault Rifles, but all of them had their flashlights removed and replaced with an Underslung Shotgun attachment to give their rifles some extra fire power while their secondary weapons were different.

Agent Zero was brining a pair of Submachine guns as back up weapons while Daisy was brining a M319 Individual Grenade Launcher and finally to help them through lock doors Agent Wyoming was brining a modified W/AV M6 Grindell/Galilean Nonlinear Rifle. As precaution should any of them find themselves in a zero-gravity environment or in the vacuum they were all equipped with Thruster Packs as well as additional grenades and combat knives in anticipation for the heavy fighting they'll no doubt be engaged in.

Once they were aboard the missile the Mother of Invention remained cloaked as it lurked near the gathered Covenant Third Fleet of Glorious Consequence while a battle was being waged as the Spartans of Blue Team had already been launched into space upon Open Frame 92/Extra-Vehicular Activity, or Booster Frames, to find the captive scientist among the ships within the enemy fleet.

"Boarding Missile Launch!" Alpha announced as the computer launched the cloaked missile as it flew clear towards the CAS-class assault carrier they had identified as the flagship of the entire fleet while during travel they spotted one of the CCS-class Battlecruisers in the Covenant fleet suddenly explode.

"What the hell was that?" Daisy asked while Lelouch had no idea of knowing for sure, but Alpha was monitoring the chatter among the Spartans.

"From what I am picking up one of the Spartans stumbled across a trap set aboard one of the ships…I guess it goes without saying the Covenant does in fact know the value of their prisoner." Alpha replied.

"Then that only confirms she is likely being kept on the flagship." Lelouch remarked as the missile drew closer to the ship heading towards the CAS-class assault carrier the Resplendent Fervor. Once they were within range Alpha engaged the boarding missile's weapons to weaken the ship's shields while its specialized anti-shield tipped warhead to punch through the weakened shields.

The missile's armaments consisted of three M92 Principle Gauss Cannons and two pods of ten micro-missiles were activated as the missile de-cloaked unleashing its weapon payload while the warhead was charged with disruption energies to disperse any energy caught in its path. Approaching the ship from the rear the boarding craft hit its mark blasting the shields covering the starboard aft hanger bay allowing the boarding missile to enter where at that moment Alpha ejected the four Spartans as the missile impacted within the hanger setting off a large explosion that killed any Covenant present.

But the four Spartans alone survived thanks to the advancements in the Freelancers own modified variants of MJOLNIR Mark IV Powered Assault Armor enhanced using technologies researched upon and some reserved engineered by the researchers of Project Freelancer. Agent Zero and Maine projected Bubble Shields that protected them and their fellow Freelancers after the two of them were ejected into different parts of the hanger, but luckily Wyoming had remained close to Agent Zero while Agent Virginia was covered by Maine's Bubble Shield.

"Knock Knock…well…who ordered the anchovies pizza with pineapple?"

Oddly at that moment a lone Grunt that had somehow escaped the blast only because he was in the next room entered running into Wyoming and Zero as the latter's bubble shield was disengaged.

"The De-" The Grunt was quickly silenced with a round fired from the Brute Shot nailing the alien square in the face.

". . . . He was evil…who else would ask for Anchovies and pineapple?" Maine added with a grunt while Wyoming's partner in front of him palmed his own facemask.

"…Could you cut the crap with the jokes…?"

"Oh come on don't be a soul puss old chap…besides that was a perfect opportunity for a good joke."

"Let's get moving…what's our time Alpha?"

"Six minutes…"

"Let's cut it down to three…Maine and Virginia you two find us some transport…if not secure some enemy fighters and cover me and Wyoming once we secure the package we'll either meet up with you in the hanger or we'll take an escape pod we don't meet you in the hanger in five minutes."

"Copy that…let's go Maine." Daisy-023 replied as the two Freelancers took off to find another hanger that would hopefully carry something that can fly.

"Let's go Wyoming." Zero said as the two Freelancers made their way up to the second floor entering one of the doors.

"I got a lock on Doctor Halsey's tube." Alpha reported.

"Copy that, feed the information to my visor and give us the directions."

"Way ahead of you."

As the two entered the forward hall leading deeper into the cruiser Wyoming and Zero came across a large group of Covenant soldiers rushing towards them consisting mostly of Jiralhanae, Kig-yar and Unggoy.

"Wyoming warm up that laser…we'll fight our way through." Zero asked as Wyoming responded by readying the Spartan Laser he had brought along while Lelouch armed his Assault Rifle.

"Clearing the way old chap." Wyoming began as the Spartan Laser began charging up.

"Let's move!"

Lelouch ran ahead taking point as Lelouch sprayed the entire hallway ahead of him with bullets gunning down some of the advancing Covenant while Wyoming followed behind him.

"Charged!"

"Right!"

Lelouch replied as he ducked his head as the white armored Freelancer fired the Spartan Laser killing any unfortunate Covenant Bastards in the beam's path while blasting the sealed door behind them apart. Before the smoke could clear Lelouch kept running with his partner right behind him preparing a second shot while the black armored Freelancer was gunning down any hostile aliens in their path while sometimes using the shotgun underslung to blast any aliens that had managed to get close to him.

A second shot from the Spartan Laser was eventually fired slaying more enemy Covenant in their path and clearing the way for the two Freelancers to proceed deeper into the ship.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile inside the aft port hanger bay Agent Maine and Virginia were cleaning out the hanger of its current occupants while hoping to secure the Phantom they found docked inside the hanger as a means of escape. Daisy-023 in her own custom painted crimson red MJOLNIR Powered Assault ArmorAA variant was using her grenade launcher to attack from a distance while Kane-002 went for up close and personal at first leaping into the group of Covenant while raining down fire from his Brute Shot killing a dozen of them with his initial attack, but there was still plenty of them to go around.

Reloading his favorite weapon the white armored Freelancer sent another batch of Covenant to meet their maker, but a reinforcement group led by Brutes armed with Spikier Rifles. Using his Bubble Shield to protect himself from the initial onslaught as the Brutes threw plasma grenades at the seemingly unstoppable Freelancer. As all of their weapons hit the shield with their grenades detonating the shield held, but Daisy-023 took the opportunity to attack the Brutes by launching a pair of grenades to land in the middle of the gathered group. Most of the Brutes were killed but one survived barely, but at that moment Maine launched himself into the air letting out a bone-chilling battle cry before using the blade on his weapon to cut the Brute open from the neck down before for good measure blasted the alien at point blank range with his weapon.

The smoke was finally clearing as the room was full of dead aliens most of them killed by Agent Maine while Daisy-023 was easily able to provide support fire with the grenade launcher thanks in part to Kane-002 brutality which was so brutal that the Covenant forces in the room became solely focused on him.

"Room secured…now all we have to do is hold until."

Daisy began while switching to her assault rifle, but she was interrupted when missiles and fire from what appeared to be a pair of gauss cannons followed by missiles impacted the shields outside. A moment later a pair of Booster Frames impacted forcing Maine to use his Bubble Shield once again to protect himself from the resulting explosion while Virginia took cover.

The female Freelancer picked herself up after the smoke began to clear, but what she saw surprised her…not overly so at least, but their entrance was a bit over the top.

In the center of the flames the crashed Booster Frames had caused along with the destruction of the Phantom the duo had been hoping to use as their escape craft were a trio of three Spartans; two of them wore Mark IV MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor, but their coloring with was different was one blue and the other green while other a female wore a white MJOLNIR Mark IV Extra Vehicular Activity variant similar to what Kane-002 was wearing, but the shoulders and the chest pieces of their armor were different.

"I guess the Blue Team Spartans figured out that Halsey is aboard this ship." Daisy commented while Kane was annoyed with their appearance.

"What happened here?" Fred-104 said as he noticed multiple dead Covenant littering the room as did his comrades.

"I don't think our attack could have done that much damage." Kelly-087 added while their leader noticed the white armored Spartan in front of them.

"Identify yourself." John-117 demanded while aiming his assault rifle at the unknown Spartan.

Hearing their voices, Daisy recognized them almost instantly.

"John…Fred…Kelly…" Daisy began feeling one hundred percent certain it was them.

Having heard her...the three Spartans looked up and saw the red armored Spartan, but they actually recognized her voice. Yet at the same time they almost couldn't believe it.

"Daisy is that you?" Kelly inquired.

"Oly Oly Oxen Free…" John-117 began wanting to confirm.

"Oly Oly Oxen Free, All out in the free, we're all free." Daisy responded knowing the tune by heart while providing John and his fellow Blue Team members that Daisy and Kane were friendly forces.

"You were supposed to have been killed on Harvest." Fred pointed out after he was assured by her correct response to the tune John began verified her.

"I would like to explain it, but we both have a mission to accomplish right now…I'll explain after the mission we don't have a lot of time."

"Right…" John-117 said in agreement. "We got three minutes left, so we'll need to move fast."

"We're part of a second rescue team sent to secure Halsey as a back-up plan. Two more Spartans have already gone on ahead using a different route me and Agent Maine will secure enemy fighters to cover our escape." Daisy explained quickly as the Spartans began running for the hallway while mindful to avoid giving Maine's actual name knowing it would ultimately hinder things.

"Copy that…who are the other two?"

"The two Spartans have the code names Agent Wyoming and Agent Zero…plan B involved taking the package and escaping on an enemy escape pod if we couldn't acquire an enemy transport to use as an escape vehicle we would take enemy fighters and protect the escape pod."

"Understood…"

"Good luck you three…and John it's good to see you guys again." Daisy commented as the three Spartans hurried down the hall engaging the Covenant head on blasting their way through their ranks.

"Likewise…"

* * *

><p>At moment on the bridge of the Resplendent Fervor Supreme Commander Luro 'Taralumee was infuriated by the arrival of more Spartans having successfully boarded the ship with two proceeding further into the ship while another three were now fighting their way towards their captive.<p>

"We have killed two, but now we have seven demons onboard. WHERE IS THE MAJOR?" The supreme commander roared while slamming his fist on the armrest of his command chair.

* * *

><p>Around the same time Wyoming and Zero had made good time having transverse most of the ship in three minutes, but they were slightly delayed by the sheer numbers of Covenant sent to stop them, but the more they threw at the two Freelancer Agents the more dead aliens they left behind in their wake.<p>

"We got one shot left with the laser." Wyoming reported after Lelouch used up the last of his assault round ammo while having depleted the shotgun underslung of his weapon a short ways back one a Brute that had attempted to surprise attack them, but met his end with a shotgun round to the face.

"Make it count…we're almost there!"

But suddenly they felt the floor beneath their feet shake as the two Spartans realized the entire section of the ship they were in was being detached from the rest of the ship in a desperate bid to stop them.

"These chaps are getting desperate."

Wyoming commented as he activated his T-pack as did Lelouch as the two flew through the vacuum heading for the closing airlock.

"We expected a possible situation like this, but not like this at least."

Once inside the airlock closed behind them, but ahead of them a group of Brutes blocked their way armed with Brute Shots, but they didn't have a chance to fire as Wyoming had charged the last shot from the Spartan Laser he was holding and fired killing the aliens blocking their way and blasting open the sealed door behind them.

Tossing the now useless Spartan Laser aside the white MJOLNIR Mark V Powered Assault Armor Freelancer picked up a Brute Shot to replace his previous weapon.

"Alright guys we're really close…just beyond those doors ahead."

Alpha reported as the two Freelancers went on ahead passing through a small circular room and running through the hallway beyond it reaching a small room with a circular lamp in the middle where they found a Mark VII Personal Suspension Unit with its power cables linked to the Covenant ship to keep the unit functional and its occupant asleep.

Inside the tube as the two Spartans approached was their target Dr. Halsey.

"Wyoming check for traps…I'll bring out the suit we brought along."

"Right…" Wyoming said as he checked around the unit for any kind of traps like bombs and such while Lelouch pulled a small black leather duffle back off his chest he had uncomfortably strapped on which contained a black body suit with a helmet. It wasn't much, but it was the only thing the black armored Spartan could really carry on his person.

The obvious reason for this was that all occupants who enter a cryo-pod has to go in naked to avoid ending up with raw and blistered skin since covered skin doesn't react well to the cryogenic process. Thus it was necessary for the Freelancers or at least one of them to bring a charge of clothes to wear for the captive doctor.

"No traps…this tube is clean."

"Alright let's open it up…"

Lelouch replied as he begun opening the tube. Mist spilled out as Dr. Halsey sat up coughing while she brought one hand to her forehead pushing some locks of black hair out of her way although she had some gray hairs for a woman in her early fifties. Her blue eyes was fixed upon the black armored Spartan before her recognizing it to be a MJOLINR armor variant similar to MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor a custom R, but judging from noticing some thicker arm plates and a tactical pad on the left forearm it was a modified variant.

"Doctor Halsey, are you alright?" Lelouch began while trying not to look at her directly. Granted in his time as a Spartan soldier he had seen men and women naked when they first emerge from cryo, but the gentleman part in him has made him seemingly on reflex avoided looking at Halsey while handing her the black body suit he had brought along.

Halsey saw the suit she was being offered, but she was more curious about the Spartan before her. She knew each and every single Spartan; however she knew nothing about this one.

"Who are you?"

"Oly Oly Oxen Free…" Lelouch began humming the tune.

"Oly Oly Oxen Free, All out in the free, we're all free. How did you know that?"

"One of my mentors taught it to me and told me if I ever encountered any other Spartans use it, but for this mission if I met you I was told to use it to verify to you that I am a friendly."

"Clearly, but who are you?" Halsey demanded.

"Madam I am Agent Zero of Office of Naval Intelligence Section III Black Operations Program code named Project Freelancer." Lelouch replied although what he told her was outdated, but knowing she would likely ask his superior had told him to say those words upon being asked.

"A Black OPS Spartan?"

"Correct madam."

"I see…"

"I am sorry for butting in old chaps, but we should really get going we got two minutes before this ship enters Slipspace." Wyoming alerted.

"Right…" Halsey said taking the suit before quickly putting it on. "But once we're off I have a number of questions and I want answers."

"I understand madam, but you'll have the chance to ask my superior once we successfully escape."

At that moment also closing in on Doctor Halsey's position John, Kelly and Fred were fighting their way through wave after wave of Covenant forces trying to stop them, but they weren't doing much better against them as their fallen brothers had against Agents Zero and Wyoming…if fact despite facing more enemies than they did the three battle hardened Spartans were tearing through their enemies with frightening ease.

Fred used the Spartan Laser to shot their way through any sealed bulk heads in their path while Kelly using her shotgun in conjunction with John's assault rifle mowed down anyone foolish enough to stop the three Spartan super soldiers. The Grunts attempting to flank them from open corridors were easily dispatched by Kelly throwing a pair of grenades into the halls while Fred using a free arm used his submachine gun sidearm to shoot into the other open hallway killing a trio of Grunts.

As the body count kept rising Lelouch and Wyoming led Doctor Halsey through the halls of the ship trying to make their way to the escape pods since they weren't going to have enough time to run all the way back to the aft hanger where Maine and Virginia were waiting for them so they switched to Plan B. But upon entering one of the rooms they were backtracking through to find the room with the escape pods they came upon three Sangheili, two of them were Elite Minors while the other clearly their superior was a Major Elite. All three were armed with energy swords and they were likely waiting for them.

Lelouch aimed and unloaded the rest of his assault rifle clip, but the Major used his energy sword to deflect the bullets. Instead of outright trying to attack them the Major turned to his subordinates and gestured for them to wait before tossing an energy sword to the black armored Spartan challenging him to a duel.

"Wyoming stay with Dr. Halsey…I'll take him."

Lelouch stepped forward activating the energy sword as did his foe Major Thel 'Lodamee before the two began circling one another waiting for their foe to make the first move. The Major attacked first with Lelouch parrying his strike before trying to counter with a swift horizontal swipe, but he backed away when his attack missed and Thel 'Lodamee countered attack.

The duel between both combatants was swift and ferocious to such even the Minor Elites watching were memorized by the duel happening before them. However after barely dodging a blow that would have impaled his head the energy sword was knocked from his hand with the Major moving in for the kill, but he had another surprise…the reason why the armor on Lelouch's arms were bulky was due to upgrades and modifications he made to it following his mission to Emerald Cove two years ago.

As the Major was about to strike Lelouch raised his right arm up as an energy dagger was activated from an emitter hidden near his wrist on his forearm armor. Pushing his foe back the black armored Spartan returned to his feet ready for round two.

"You are well prepared demon."

"You're better skilled than the Zealots I killed to gain the parts I needed to make these."

"Then killing you will bring me great honor!"

Their battle resumed with the Major's attacks becoming increasingly more fierce and lethal while Lelouch managed to keep up and block and evade all of his attempts to kill the young Spartan. The fighting was fierce with the black Spartan dodging all of the Major's attacks and countering his blade attacks, but finally after their blades met again with the two locked in a deadlock.

For Agent Zero this gave him the opportunity he needed to finish the fight as he activated the second energy dagger emitter in his other forearm armor and stabbed the Major in the side of the torso badly wounding him as he staggered backwards with his free hand clutching his wound before falling onto one knee.

"What?"

"You obviously missed the part where I said I killed the zealots to get the parts for **these**, so you have only yourself to blame for missing what I was implying at originally."

"Curse you demon!" The Major rose to his feet…despite being wounded he was ready to keep fighting until the bitter end.

Suddenly the whole ship shook as the entire aft section of the vessel was being detached by the Major's superior office who after clearing the stellar magnetic field that had prevented them from escaping into Slipspace decided to scuttle the entire aft section and self-destruction with the demons onboard. As an unwilling major was being pulled into the section of the ship heading into slipspace the enraged Thel 'Lodamee screamed.

"I COULD HAVE KILLED HIM…COMMMANDER YOU FOOL! A THOUSAND HELLS AWAIT YOU!"

At that moment John, Kelly and Fred arrived engaging the two Elite Minors upon seeing them, but the five Spartans made short work of them thanks to Lelouch attacking one with his energy daggers while Wyoming fired on one with his assault rifle as Fred and Lelouch finished off one while John, Kelly and Wyoming gunned down the other.

As the main section of the ship along with the rest of the Covenant Fleet fled into Slipspace alarms began sounding.

"Damn they're scuttling the ship…along with us." The Doctor pointed out.

"We got to go NOW." John ordered as the Spartans followed by Doctor Halsey hurried down one of the corridors hoping to find escape pods.

The group hurried until they came across the escape pod chamber where Doctor Halsey began activating one opening the door.

"I hope Maine and Virginia secured some enemy fighters or this might be a short trip if any fighters were left behind." Wyoming commented.

"Relax they'll pull it off." Lelouch said assuring his fellow Freelancer.

"Everyone inside!"

Halsey ordered as the Spartans herself included hurried into the escape pod, space was a little cramp, but it was enough as the small Covenant Escape pod launched flying a good distance from the ship before the discarded aft section exploded. But as Wyoming feared some fighters were left behind, specifically seven Seraph Covenant fighters.

"Can't this bucket go any faster?" Halsey remarked trying to push the pod to go faster as the enemy fighters were closing in on them.

Suddenly outside one of the Seraph fighters attacked the enemy fighters just as they began firing on the escape pod.

"Doctor Halsey…Spartans, we got your back." Daisy announced over an open comm. channel.

"Daisy-023?" Halsey asked recognizing it.

"Yes madam…"

Suddenly two ships de-cloaked; the Mother of Invention and the ONI stealth ship the PRO-49776 with the PRO-49776 providing cover fire while the Mother of Invention had charged up its MAC cannon firing off a round that caught three of the six enemy fighters while the other sheath ships finished off the rest of them.

"Welcome back Spartans…I assume the Freelancer Agents are with you." Captain Lucius R. Jiron said as his ship finished off the last of the enemy fights alongside the captured fighter being flown by Daisy and Kane and the Mother of Invention.

"Yes sir…" John-117 replied.

"New orders from FLEETCOM Spartans…you'll travel with the Mother of Invention and escort Doctor Halsey back to Reach where you and your team will be reassigned to your new mission we have an special mission that requires us elsewhere. Director Church they are all yours."

"Thank you Captain we will ensure Dr. Halsey's safety." The Director replied as his ship moved to collect the escape pod as the commandeered Seraph flew towards the Mother of Invention to land in her hanger bay.

"Director Church...as in Leonard Church?" Halsey said recognizing both the voice and the name in an instant.

"Ah…Catherine it's been how long since we last met?"

"Dr. Halsey?" Kelly inquired noticing the older woman's serious expression.

"Major, although he has now the rank of Colonel, Leonard Church worked in ONI in the intelligence division with degrees in Xenoarchaeology and biochemical medicine, while he had a hand on the developing of new Smart AI technologies, focusing on expanding their lifespan, while also he assisted as a code breaker."

"After you land I'll debrief you on your mission before we head to Reach there is much we must discuss."

Lelouch was quiet while wondering what would happen once Dr. Halsey and Dr. Church had their little reunion.

Once they were aboard the Mother of Invention the Spartans along with Dr. Halsey disembarked the ship where Director Church with Daisy-023 and Kane-002 were waiting for them. Church greeted the recently rescued Doctor with a nod before welcoming the Spartans aboard.

"Welcome aboard Master Chief…I have heard much about your actions it's a pleasure to meet you in person." The Director said saluting the Master Chief who returned it right before the Director shook the Spartan's hand.

"Thank you sir, but I was not aware of the involvement of a second team."

"I understand son, but it was a last minute decision for my agents to be sent in as a second rescue team since there was concerns that the enemy might have realized the value of Dr. Halsey given how the Spartan guarding her was killed and the fact they killed everyone else but her. We came to the conclusion that the enemy might have realized she was of valued importance so we considered the possibilities of the enemy likely setting a trap." The Director stopped and took a breath. "Unfortunately our suspicions were correct when one of your own was caught in one of their traps. Not to doubt your abilities as soldiers son, but given Halsey's importance the Office of Naval Intelligence did not want to take any chances given the small window we had to recover her."

"I understand sir…" John-117 replied understanding the reason why the higher ups had asked for their Spartans to be involved in the mission.

"Its fine, but this gives us the opportunity to introduce our Spartans to you and your fellow since soon they'll be fighting in the war together."

"YOUR Spartans…I want to know why you abducted Daisy." Halsey said jumping into the conversation.

"During the Harvest Campaign the higher ups wanted to keep our project a secret, but we felt the need to find a Spartan like Daisy here who has gained a considerable amount of combat experience fighting the enemy to train the new generation Spartans, so our agents were on the scene at the time she was injured badly. She was recovered and recruited to the program as a trainer for the new generation Spartans."

"New generation?"

"That is right Dr. Halsey…a new Spartan-III program." The Director said gesturing the black armored Spartan. "Soon Spartans like Master Chief John-117 will be leading the new third generation Spartans when the time comes."

"A new Spartan program, why wasn't I told about it; why keep something like this from me?" Halsey snapped.

"Higher ups wanted to maintain the upmost secrecy of the program especially given Project Freelancer's research and development into new and experimental technologies being developed; most will be used by the new Spartans. Some of which you will all see soon…once we return to Reach we'll head to the secret Spartan-III training site where you'll be introduced to the new recruits as well as allowed to see the new weapons we're developing to fight the Covenant which will soon be deployed into combat soon."

"Sir with all due respect, I wish to be deployed back to the front lines." John-117 requested.

"Don't worry son you'll be back on the front lines soon, but ONI feels you and your boys should be introduced to the new boys and the new land base weapon we have developed since it's likely you and your fellow Spartans will be using them soon."

"What kind of new weapon sir?" Fred-104 inquired.

"It's a new land base weapon we have been working on and we have successfully produced a number of working production models…while I doubt Spartans such as yourselves might not see such need for them, but they should help our servicemen out in combating the Covenant, but as a just in case measure the top brass feels you boys should get your hands on it to test them out so if a situation arises where you have to use them you'll be rated for operating them."

"I want a word with you Director." Halsey said firmly.

"Of course…come with me, also Agent Zero would you accompany us please."

"Sir…" Lelouch replied while giving a crisp salute.

"So Daisy who is this guy...was he another Spartan like you nabbed?" Fred-104 began curious about the big guy with her…Agent Maine.

"It's been awhile Fred." Kane-002 spoke.

"No way…YOU…I thought the military executed you." Fred exclaimed recognizing the deep throaty voice of the white armored Spartan.

"Sorry to disappoint, but hell had no vacancies."

"Kane-002…why am I not surprised." Halsey replied with bitterness in her voice.

"It's good to see you too madam." Kane replied calmly while John-117 on reflex aimed his assault rifle at Kane's head while the Spartan across from him aimed his submachine gun at the green armored Spartan as the two were engaged in a Mexican Stand-Off.

"Men I order you to stand down." The Director snapped, but John and Kane didn't back down.

"Bring it on John!"

"Maine, stop this now!" Daisy demanded.

"Sorry darling, but this it's between me and Mr. Black and White here."

A tense moment of silence passed before Daisy approached Kane while Wyoming cringed knowing what was coming.

"…Oh Maine?"

"…Wha"

(Knee Nut-BUSTER!)

Suddenly a knee to the Spartan's groin stunned him, but Daisy followed it up by sweeping the Freelancer off his feet before grabbing one of his legs and delivering a skull shattering punch to Agent Maine's groin which slammed him into the deck so far that the impact of his heavy body left a dent on the ground.

Everyone on Blue Team was rather stunned to Daisy's reaction. Halsey looked to her former SPARTAN, and noted Reginald was shaking his head, while the unknown SPARTAN, this Zero, acted like if Daisy's way of dealing with the sociopathic SPARTAN-II was a usual thing.

". . .Now, what you were saying Maine?"

"… (on a squeaky and pained pitch)…Nothing, Virginia."

"I didn't mention you by full name cause I knew this would happen if you knew Maine was Kane."

"I see…" John-117 replied lowering his gun.

"I'll make sure Kane doesn't cause any trouble sir." Daisy said assuring and saluting her superior.

"Please be sure they behave." The Director replied while he, Agent Zero and Halsey walked away.

"So I am curious, what kind of history do have with the poor nut busted old chap here?"

"It's a long story…" Kelly began.

"I got time if you blokes don't mind." Wyoming inquired.

* * *

><p>AN: well there is the third chapter and I hope it looked better to you guys than it did to me. I swear there was something up with the chapter, but I couldn't put my finger on it. A friend looked it over and said it was fine. But now I am debating if I should just advance events to Code Geass for this story at least. I say that because one we'll have a lot more time skips and if I do proceed to the CG-events/world then we will skip events of Halo 3, but in flashbacks and discussions there will moments revealed and how much Lelouch had changed the war and his involvement.

Although I'll include Kane's backstory in either the next chapter or in an upcoming future one.


End file.
